The Last Time
by Jaye Reid
Summary: Wisdom lies neither in fixity nor in change, but in the dialect between the two." - Octavio Paz


Title: The Last Time  
  
By Jaye Reid  
  
Commenced: March 1, 2003  
  
Completed: August 23, 2003  
  
Rating: PG13  
  
Spoilers: Season 1 - 4.  
  
Disclaimer: Owned by the brilliant Sorkin and WB. Not mine, never will be. I have no money, therefore I'm not worth suing. Borrowed for my own amusement.  
  
Category: Josh/Donna  
  
Summary: "Wisdom lies neither in fixity nor in change, but in the dialect between the two." - Octavio Paz  
  
  
  
Archiving: "Boulevard of Misdirection"  
  
http://users.mcmedia.com.au/~jayereid/jldmmain.htm  
  
The National Library and Fanfiction.net  
  
Authors Notes: Woo hoo! Yeah, it's a song fic g. I know, I know... they have a history of being very cringe worthy... but as I was deemed as most outstanding Song fic in the GCCA for 2003, I thought I might have another crack at it. The song is called 'The Last Time' performed by John Farnham (most recently) and written by Jagger & Richards.  
  
Most kindly beta read by Aim - who quite frankly, rocks!  
  
~*~*~  
  
Urgh!  
  
This is so... so... damn! So typical. Just when things are starting to look up - bam! Some drops something on me...  
  
I'm stupid. I know better than to mess with Mrs. B, but I go ahead and do it anyway.  
  
Damn!  
  
What is it about people in this place broad siding me with ex-girlfriends? Leo did it to me with Mandy and now Mrs. Bartlet does it with Amy.  
  
Mrs. B will regret this move. I told her someone on my level. Forget the ego for a moment, but Amy isn't on my level.  
  
I proved that with the welfare bill.  
  
~*~  
  
Well I told you once and I told you twice  
  
But you never listen to my advice  
  
You don't try very hard to please me  
  
And with what you know it should be easy.  
  
~*~  
  
And, putting aside my oversized ego - I think Amy is going to do the whole 'woman scorned' routine rather than focusing on the job at hand. So, if she's not focusing on the job, Mrs. B isn't going to be staffed properly. This in turn will reflect in a negative way on the President.  
  
My job is therefore to make sure the damage Amy creates is as minimal as possible.  
  
Yeah, like I really have time for this.  
  
I think I'm going to have to ask Donna to help, and she's not going to like it. We've never actually discussed it, but Ms. Moss seemed as enthused about the First Lady's latest staff appointment as I was.  
  
You see, Donna and I have been... well how would you say... moving into some uncharted territory of late.  
  
And no, I'm not talking about North Dakota.  
  
There's been a shift. I've finally admitted to myself the feelings towards my Assistant may not be from a professional standpoint. In turn I think she seems to have picked up on the shift.  
  
At least, I hope she has.  
  
So, back to Amy.  
  
I'm going to have to get Donna to monitor everything that goes in and out of the East Wing. I need to know what research she's pulling so I can anticipate where things are headed. I need to know ahead of time so I can ensure she's not being a lone wolf and sabotaging any of our current policy making.  
  
The woman has her own agenda.  
  
***  
  
Amy Gardner.  
  
Amy 'I might be smiling but it's hard to tell' Gardner. What in heaven's name was Mrs. Bartlet thinking? Oh and is Josh just *thrilled* about this appointment.  
  
I'm so pissed at the moment.  
  
This woman is... damn, this woman still wants Josh. Well, she's not getting him! He and I... things have changed since the mess I made with the quote. He... I remember the way he told me I looked amazing when he and the guys turned up outside my apartment on Inauguration night. Sitting on his knee in the taxi, which must have looked very inappropriate, his arms wrapped around me... I haven't felt so loved in a very long time.  
  
If Ms. Gardner thinks she can march back in to his life she's got another thing coming! She's going to cause problems for the administration from *within* the administration. Josh is going to need me to keep an eye on her. We need to know what she is planning. I'm so not looking forward to this. And it's already started. Josh and I were going to have dinner together tonight, and there's already a message from Amy that she needs to speak to Josh when she gets back with Mrs. Bartlet.  
  
At seven-thirty tonight.  
  
So, there goes dinner. Well an early dinner at least.   
  
If Ms. 'I'm so wonderful' thinks she can pull this stunt often and get away with it, she's got another thing coming!  
  
~*~  
  
Well this could be the last time  
  
This could be the last time  
  
Maybe the last time - I don't know - oh no, oh no.  
  
~*~  
  
***  
  
Well it's been an hour and a half and we haven't covered anything I didn't already know, or would find important.  
  
First, Amy got here an hour late. I sent Donna home because I had promised her an early night. Mind you that early night was going to consist of us getting some dinner together. I told her I'd phone when I was leaving and she could order something to arrive by the time I get home.  
  
Yeah, she's at my place.  
  
So, Amy gets here and I expect she'll want to talk about the way she screwed with me to get the additional money in the welfare package. She should know better than to do something like that. I'm a retaliatory kinda guy. You don't mess with me and not expect some sort of repercussion down the track.  
  
So, she's making small talk, which I didn't mind when I was chasing after her. Now, it's just annoying. She's got nothing to say that I want to hear and she just doesn't seem to take the hint. I know she's not that stupid, so she's stalling for something. I just want to get out of here. I've got Donna waiting at my place, and I just want to spend some time with her. And I know that sounds really strange since we spend all day together, but this is different. So, I start straightening files on my desk and turn my computer off. As soon as I pick up the phone to call Donna, Amy wants to know if I feel like going out and having a drink with her. You know, to celebrate her new job since I was the catalyst for her losing her old one. She says I owe her.  
  
I owe her?  
  
I tell her I can't. I've got plans. I phone Donna, right in front of her. Well she doesn't know it's Donna, not that I really care. I let Donna know that I'm about to come home - emphasizing the 'home' part of it, and for her to order whatever she wants. When I look up at Amy I know she's got a million and one questions.   
  
And I'm not answering any of them.  
  
I put my coat on and slip my backpack over my shoulder. Amy gets the hint - finally - and heads for the door with me. She asks for a rain check on the drink, but I'm sure it's only to save face.  
  
She now knows exactly where she stands with me.  
  
Nowhere.  
  
~*~  
  
Well I'm sorry girl but I can't stay  
  
When I'm feelin' like I do today  
  
Well there's too much pain and too much sorrow  
  
And you know I'll feel the same tomorrow  
  
~*~  
  
***  
  
Josh arrives home a few minutes after the delivery guy leaves. Apparently Leo caught him on his way out and that took up time. He slumps onto the sofa and pulls his tie loose.  
  
I ask him how his meeting with Amy went and he just grunts and shakes his head. Just a fishing expedition he tells me, and I bite back the obvious question of 'fishing for what' until I figure, what the hell, and I ask him.  
  
'Me' he says... he doesn't sound like it was an enjoyable experience.  
  
He assures me it wasn't. She wanted to go out for a drink. Ha, yeah... get him all liquored up and have him forget he broke up with her. But he's sitting here with me. This is good. We haven't really talked about what is happening between us, but I'm sure something is. I hope there is.  
  
So we eat and we talk. I mean we talk all day at work, and I guess it would be good if we didn't talk about work. But it's part of who we are so we talk about work without it being a bad thing. We talk about Sam who is getting creamed out in California. Josh feels a big brotherly responsibility for Sam, which he has trouble letting go. But I reassure him that Sam is a grown up now, and can look after himself. Josh says he likes looking after people, and boy don't I know that's true!  
  
Josh has a devious glint in his eye... I'm wondering if I should be afraid. I voice my concern and he tells me he has a plan. Oh no... we all know what happens when Josh has a plan. I figure he should outline it with me first. He says I can be his partner in crime.  
  
Hmm...  
  
~*~  
  
Well this could be the last time  
  
This could be the last time  
  
Maybe the last time - I don't know - oh no, oh no.  
  
~*~  
  
I had a thought. I've had a brilliant thought.  
  
Well actually it's rather juvenile, but hey... you have to be ready for anything in this game.  
  
Amy thinks she's ready to play at my level? Well we'll just see how well she plays when she's a bit rattled.  
  
Over the years with my total ineptness at fixing anything, Donna has become very familiar with the maintenance staff around the White House. Actually I think she's on a first name basis with most of them. So, my devious plan is to create a little havoc in the East wing. Nothing dangerous of course, just a little... fun!  
  
I also want to show Donna that Amy and I are long over. I know she didn't say anything, but if it were any of her ex-gomers trying to plant themselves back in her life, I'd be a bit pissed. No, I'd be jealous as hell and... I mean I'd trust her... but, I dunno. This thing with us is new, but those guys... well she already knows their relationship foibles. She doesn't know mine and I guess I'm worried that when she finds out what mine are first hand, she might not want to deal with them.  
  
Anyway, I'm happy to report Donna seems as enthused about this plan as I am. She's even thrown in a few of her own ideas, and suggestions on who would be the best people to enlist as help for this master plan.  
  
Because I am the planning Master.  
  
Well... I think Donna just snorted soda through her nose when I suggested this to her.  
  
That's not very ladylike now is it?  
  
I hope Amy gets the message. It shouldn't take too long for her to figure out what to do. Actually one of the things I'm planning is very similar to a plot when we were in college. If she remembers she'll be fine... If not, then I'll have to be a bit more direct. If she wants to play in the big league, then I say bring it on!  
  
~*~  
  
Well I told you once and I told you twice  
  
Somebody gonna have to pay the price  
  
Now here's a chance to change your mind  
  
'Cause I'm gonna be gone a long long time.  
  
~*~  
  
And I'm not looking back.   
  
Finis! 


End file.
